Britain’s Yasmin Ingham takes second at Kentucky: ‘I was so nervous I’ve barely eaten for three days’
Yasmin Ingham moved up to finish second in the final Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event results after today’s showjumping.
This was a huge result for the 24-year-old British rider – the youngest competitor in the five-star – and the immensely promising Banzai Du Loir, who was making his debut at the level.
Yasmin rode with the composure of a far more experienced rider, but said she was so nervous she’d barely eaten for three days.
“Every time I look at something that I would usually like, such as a doughnut, I want to be sick so I’m glad I can finally actually eat something – I’ve been living on water and energy drinks,” she said.
Yasmin added just 0.8 of a time-fault in today’s showjumping.
“The plan was to go in and do our best and I think we did just that,” said Yasmin. “He tried so hard, I didn’t even hear him touch anything.
“I was a little bit slow in my riding – I think I was just being really cautious and trying to produce a good clear round. He is just the most insane jumper and has a heart of gold.
“I really do owe this win to Banzai and also to his owners Sue Davies and Janette Chinn – they bought this horse with hopes of getting to the top level and I’m so grateful to them for supporting me and Banzai.”
The crowd were enthusiastic today, cheering each time a horse cleared the line of oxer, five strides to treble combination, then five strides to upright (fences eight, 9abc and 10). But Yasmin said this helped lift Banzai as he was a little tired after yesterday’s cross-country.
“I think he’s made for the big stage and I’m just so lucky that it’s me that gets to ride him,” she said.
Germany’s Michael Jung jumped a flawless clear to take top spot in the Kentucky Three-Day Event results on FischerChipmunk FRH, setting a new record score (20.1) at five-star in the process.
Doug Payne’s fault-free round moved him up from fifth with Quantum Leap to take third, while Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg TSF had two down and 1.2 time-faults to drop from second overnight to fourth.
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